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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4869 ..

Clauses 1 to 4, by leave, taken together, and agreed to.

Clause 5

MR MOORE (6.20): It gives me pleasure to stand to speak to this clause. It states:

... the principal Act is amended by omitting the definition of "Chief Planner".

The definition of "Chief Planner" in section 5 of the principal Act states:

"Chief Planner" means the Chief Planner for the Australian Capital Territory appointed under section 43.

Section 43 says:

(1) The Minister shall, by instrument, appoint a person to be Chief Planner for the Australian Capital Territory.

(2) The Chief Planner holds office for such period, not exceeding 5 years, as is specified in the instrument of appointment.

(3) The Chief Planner holds office on such terms and conditions (in respect of matters not provided for by this Part) as are determined by the Minister in writing.

(4) A retiring Chief Planner is eligible for re-appointment.

(5) In the performance of his or her functions and the exercise of his or her powers the Chief Planner is directly responsible to the Minister.

This is the Chief Planner that we are doing away with. We will have no chief planner in our planned city. I think this is appalling. For a long time there has been a struggle within Canberra between planners and administrators. It was probably at its most open when the Department of Territories, and its predecessors and successors, debated long and hard with the National Capital Development Commission. The administrators always felt that the planners had got it wrong. The planners always felt that they set the parameters and the administrators would not achieve them.

Generally, this city was planned with this appropriate tension in place, but the tension has been resolved, Mr Speaker, in a most appalling way. Effectively, the Chief Planner's role will be taken over by the Secretary of the Department of Urban Services. I think this is a very unfortunate situation. This Bill finally undermines planning in this Territory.

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